Comments

Tom,

Talking of dinosaurs, the world is changing in ways even more profound than old economy-new economy paradigms:

The latest news tells us the polar ice caps are melting at a rate that is (a) terrifying (b) possibly unstoppable © just one indicator of the unsustainable way we are destroying the planet. As a good capitalist I'm not given to wearing sandals let alone hair shirts, but a recent Scottish tourism business leaders' seminar at the Westin Turnberry resort heard more truly worrying & informed facts about sustainabilty versus non-sustainability than probably most of us had (allowed ourselves to) listen(ed) to in our careers to date.

The bottom line - the biggest change/challenge we face isn't technology, or China/India, it's shifting to a sustainable way of living in harmony with the planet - and, by the way, finding ways to equal up the shares of whatever spoils are left between all economies - making poverty history, but maybe making excessive affluence history too!

If that's so - shouldn't Sustainability overtake brand, service, experience, innovation, whatever, as every business person's, every politician's, every human being in a position of influence's - overriding priority?

By the way, Sustainability is stacked with opportunities for business as well, did we but choose to see them...

I'd love to know what you & others think, Tom!

Posted by Stephen Spencer at January 31, 2006 5:49 PM

To Stephen Spencer:

Is there any way for us to read what was discussed at the Scottish seminar at Turnberry?

Susan

Posted by Susan at January 31, 2006 6:15 PM

Great points Stephen – you are spot on!!

There won't be much point re-distributing wealth around the planet if there is no planet! Sadly I am not well read on sustainability but I suspect we all need to get out our homework books on this one. Did someone once say we are looking after the planet for our children and their children? If we are serious wouldn’t it be just great to be remembered as a generation that really cared about their planet and did something about it? To be in harmony with the current economic and business climate maybe we need to make the planet the brand - just a thought- the marketers among us could have a field day with that methinks.

Posted by Trevor Gay at February 1, 2006 4:19 AM

Globalization's dinosaurs... Goggle guy ...
This, in a nutshell, describes a world of things happening
around us today .. in many, many different areas.
I can see it every day.
Very interesting indeed....

Which do you prefer to drive/lead sustainability?

Michael J.

Posted by Michael J at February 1, 2006 7:59 AM

Wal*Mart Leading the Way?

Corporate environmental leadership "in play", from http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/003927.html

"...And JPMorganChase, General Electric, Sun Microsystems, and even WalMart have joined the ranks of BP and others seeking to claim corporate eco-leadership. Does it go beyond lip service? That remains to be seen, of course, but it's a telling sign that WalMart CEO Lee Scott isn't just talking about "greening" his stores. Here's what he said in Forbes: "There will be a day of reckoning for retailers. If somebody wakes up and finds out that children that are down the river from that factory where you save three cents a foot in the cost of garden hose are developing cancers at a significant rates -- so that the American public can save three cents a foot -- those things won't be tolerated, and they shouldn't be tolerated." Whatever you think about WalMart's social footprint, that's one thoughtful CEO..."

Many eco leaders say that we've gone so far that sustainability simply isn't enough anymore - we need regeneration and serious investment into the environment that we've exploited for so long now.

Posted by Tom O'Leary at February 1, 2006 8:44 AM

This wasn't an environmental post, but since it has been co-opted as such, here's my two cents:

The environment in many areas, including major portions of North America, has improved in the last forty years. There are more game animals, more bird--huge migratory flocks over the North Central regions where there haven't been since the late "fifties." In addition, water and air quality are better in many of these areas.

The environment in many "developing" nations has been sacrificed for the sake of economic improvement. It seems this has been a natural cycle. It has been in the areas with no industrial revolutions that the environment has sustained long-term (centuries in duration) damage--many portions of Africa are prime examples of how the lack of industrialization has
ruined the environment. Bangla Desh and parts of the Pacific rim may find themselves in this same state.

Citing examples such as melting ice caps and shrinking alpine meadows may get the emotional and political heartstrings thrumming, but they are not good empirical analyses. The world's temperature goes through natural cycles of heating and cooling. If I remember my elementary Psychology 101 and Statistics 100 courses (about 100 years ago!) we should never assume a phenomenom is either a cause or an effect. Until proven otherwise, all phenomena are to be considered unrelated. (There was a minor Ice Age as recent as the 14th Century.)

And yes, the new new economy is accelerating at an alarming rate, leading to extremelty rapid change. I think they call that "heading toward the Singularity."

Posted by Mike at February 1, 2006 10:29 AM

To Susan - see here: http://www.footprint-education.org/downloads/Scottish%20Tourism's%20Competitive%20Edge.pdf

To Mike: undoubtedly there are people who exaggerate on almost any agenda - but the scientists who are arguing that we are heading towards a brick wall are in the overwhelming majority. With respect, no doubt they have all taken psychology & statistics into account. Tony Blair's chief scientific advisor has repeatedly stated that climate change represents a bigger threat to the world than terrorism.

To Tom O'L: I hope you're right about Wal-Mart. The implications for all of us are so profound that few of us probably even have our heads round it, let alone would be prepared/able to incorporate it into a corporate or socio-political strategy at a macro-level. Tesco in the UK are beating Wal-Mart hands down in growth and market share, and they both move food around in a colossal way... 80% of all transport movements here relate to food! And due to a combination of central distribution & EU regulations on traceability, food has to be moved from one end of the country & back again - bad for the food, the consumer and the environment.

I'm just saying - what is a bigger issue for us all than this? China - India - well, there you go - the economic implications of their growth are surely dwarfed by the environmental ones...

It would be great to have influencers on the world stage like Tom P. talking about this... as previously stated, I'm not an eco-warrior, just a business guy looking for some context, and some comfort!

Posted by Stephen Spencer at February 2, 2006 12:35 PM

I would like to commend Stephen for broaching the subject and reiterate his concern and views that something is seriously amiss. Researching even a little brings very loud sirens, but you don't have to look further than your local/global weather patterns to see chaos waves becoming more the norm than the exception. Check the extinction rate, the loss of virgin land of any kind, hurricanes... this is not subtle it is ominous. The concepts that Tom has put forth, are what is needed most, innovation on how we live and view the bottom line...

Posted by Rob Stults at February 4, 2006 10:36 PM

No. Sorry. The point is that no one in this supposed majority of scientists, alarmists, or politicos seems able to learn anything from the facts or from history. It's easy to predict the future and no one holds you accountable when (not if, but when) you are wrong.

Posted by Mike at February 6, 2006 7:04 AM

Maybe the way this debate has limped on, with few entering the fray, indicates the level of challenge in shifting this from an environmentalist agenda to everyone's agenda; perhaps business' agenda most of all. I'll need to have another go - I'll watch out for a relevant post!

Mike, I really can't see where your argument is going - if you're saying there's no problem and we can go on as we are, focussing on economic and social issues and paying lip service to the environment - I really think you're wrong!

Posted by Stephen Spencer at February 6, 2006 12:28 PM

Thank you Stephen for supplying the info.

This current eco-thinking is beginning to seep more into mainstream consumerism(about time!).
My hope is that the effort it will take to turn the tide and "change our patterns of consumption and the technology we use"(page 5), will be broadly embraced and accepted by those who now create the greatest impact; those prospering "and personally benefiting from our dominant and seductive industrial way of thinking"(page 2).

Susan

Posted by Susan at February 6, 2006 1:06 PM

Did u know that five Indians spoke @ the World Economic Forum (WEF) this year at Davos, Switzerland, 25-29 January 2006

a) Mukesh D. Ambani - Chairman and Managing Director - Reliance Industries Limited

b) Subhash Chandra - Chairman - Essel Group of Companies

c) Lalit K. Modi - President and Managing Director - Modi Enterprises

d) Nandan M. Nilekani - Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director - Infosys Technologies Ltd

e) Azim H. Premji - Chairman - Wipro Limited

Trust me....it was all about India at Davos..including Indian Cuisine and Pashminas for everyone!

Posted by K.Sriram at February 7, 2006 5:54 AM

That's great - and I love Indian cuisine and Pashminas!

Did they/anyone talk about the environmental consequences of economic expansion (not just India's - everyone's)?

Posted by Stephen Spencer at February 7, 2006 8:46 AM